The FINANCIAL -- Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (4th Nov) supported the Association of European Airlines (AEA release attached) call to axe the Irish Government’s €10 tourist tax and to freeze airport charges at Government owned DAA monopoly airports.

Ryanair also supported the AEA’s condemnation of the Aviation Regulator’s decision to allow a 17% increase in air traffic control charges and to increase airport charges at a time when traffic is collapsing by 15% at DAA monopoly airports.
 
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
 
“It is time to get rid of this useless Aviation Regulator and to axe the tourist tax. Rubberstamping a 17% cost increase at a time when traffic is down 15% at DAA monopoly airports proves that the Irish Aviation Regulator is unfit for purpose and that he has simply become an ATM cash machine for the Government’s DAA and the IAA monopolies.
 
Ireland must immediately put in place an efficient and effective system of regulation which is not biased and in favour of badly run, inefficient Government monopolies. Throughout Europe airport charges are falling and tourist taxes are being scrapped – in Ireland we stick by suicidal tourist taxes and increase already uncompetitive airport charges.”

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